northern irland

6 August 2018

12:17
Titanic Belfast is a visitor attraction opened in 2012, a monument to Belfast's maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city's Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built. It tells the stories of the ill-fated Titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank during her maiden voyage in 1912, and her sister ships RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic. The building contains more than 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) of floor space, most of which is occupied by a series of galleries, private function rooms and community facilities, plus the addition of Hickson’s Point destination bar in March 2018.

11:51

11:47

5 August 2018

13:00
From Glenariff Forest Park follow the way marked trail (Waterfall Walk) down the steps, along the boardwalks through Glenariff Nature Reserve. Walk through the river gorge and past spectacular waterfalls. Damp conditions ideal for ferns, mosses and liverworts with several rare species present.
Route
From the car park follow the Waterfall Walk waymarkers (Red Arrows) around the walk. Very steep descent down path and steps to the bottom of gorge passing some spectacular waterfalls within the Nature Reserve. Follow the boardwalk to the Manor Lodge and then return to the car park up a steep forestry track.
These walks are situated in a working forest environment and may be subject to diversion and closure from time to time.
Up to date information is available on the Forest

4 August 2018

17:41
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills.

13:50
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and a national nature reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, the Giant's Causeway was named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom.The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven or eight sides. The tallest are about 12 metres (39 ft) high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres (92 ft) thick in places.
Much of the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site is today owned and managed by the National Trust and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland.The remainder of the site is owned by the Crown Estate and a number of private landowners.

13:15
The Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees along Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The trees form an atmospheric tunnel that has been used as a location in HBO's popular television series Game of Thrones, which has resulted in the avenue becoming a tourist attraction.
Origin
In about 1775 James Stuart built a new house, named Gracehill House after his wife Grace Lynd. Over 150 beech trees were planted along the entrance road to the estate, to create an imposing approach.
Legend
According to legend, the hedges are visited by a ghost called the Grey Lady, who travels the road and flits across it from tree to tree. She is claimed to be either the spirit of James Stuart's daughter (named "Cross Peggy") or one of the house's maids who died mysteriously, or a spirit from an abandoned graveyard beneath the fields, who on Halloween is joined on her visitation by other spirits from the graveyard.

09:34
Filming location
The Dark Hedges were used as a filming location for the "King's Road" in the television series Game of Thrones.The trees have also been used in the 2017 Transformers film The Last Knight

3 August 2018

19:02
Steamboat
Not only is the food superb, but the table arrangements at this Chinese restaurant will guarantee an entertaining evening.
The Steamboat offers a hotpot/barbecue combo for £16.88. Why they didn't go the 2p extra and make it £16.90 – this is the Donegall Pass, where the cultural reference wouldn't go unnoticed – I can't imagine. But for £16.88 you get an all-you-can-eat, do-it-yourself-barbecue-poached-hotpot of fish, marinated pork, chicken, beef, vegetables, noodles and rice

19:00

18:55

16:28
THE PEACE MAZE
Castlewellan Peace Maze
Castlewellan Forest park's 'Peace Maze' was commissioned in 1998 and in 2000 and 2001 over 4000 school children and 1000 people attended community planting days to plant the maze's 6000 yew trees.
The design for the maze was conceived by Beverley Lear of Lear Associates who used the best idea's from thousands of children's designs that were submitted at the time.
The maze is one of Northern Irelands fastest growing tourist attractions, with over 240,000 visits between the opening date in September 2001 and June 2004.
The whole maze covers nearly 3 acres and has 2.18 miles of pathway.
Until 2007 the Peace Maze was the largest permanent hedge maze in the world and held the guinness world record.

15:59
The current record holder is the 'Pineapple Garden Maze' in Hawaii with 2.46 miles of pathway.
Upon solving the maze there is a bell to ring at the centre. This bell is considered to be one of the most frequently rung bells in Ireland, with over half a million rings every year.

15:34

15:12
WELCOME TO CASTLEWELLAN CASTLE
This stunningly beautiful castle was commissioned and built in 1856 by William Richard Annesly, 4th Earl Annesly, as his main residence and home. It is a fine example of Victorian architecture and craftsmanship.
The Castle is situated in the middle of an extensive forest park on the edge of the Mourne mountains, with some of the most beautiful and breathtaking scenery in Ireland. It overlooks a lake of nearly 1 mile in length, with the mountains of Mourne climbing behind.
Today the Castle is a thriving Christian Conference Centre, its facilities being used by many church, school and mission organisations.

29 July 2018

14:10
Dunluce Castle (from Irish: Dún Libhse
is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim (between Portballintrae and Portrush), and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland. The castle is surrounded by extremely steep drops on either side, which may have been an important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this place where an early Irish fort once stood.

27 July 2018

17:52
2 Courses for £10
Choose either Starter & Main / Main & Dessert
Or
3 Courses for the price of your Main
If you can’t manage all 3 then you can choose a small glass of wine, bottle of selected beer or a soft drink instead of either a Starter or a Main